


It Started with a Cigarette

by CatBeth



Category: Original Story
Genre: BL, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 09:32:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16992474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatBeth/pseuds/CatBeth
Summary: Nozumi is a high school boy who gets bullied daily. Akari is a popular boy with good looks and good grades. The two completely different boys meet behind the school while the two of them are smoking. But soon, Akari seems to completely change when he's not behind the school smoking with Nozumi. Will Nozumi have to choose between a personality-changing friend or being completely alone? Nozumi's soon hell all started with a Cigarette.(COMPLETE)





	1. Chapter One : It Started with a Cigarette

It started with a Cigarette.   
Taking the lighter, setting fire to the addicting scroll in front of me.  
Putting it in my mouth, sucking the smoke in and blowing it out.  
Over and over again.  
It never stopped.  
One leaded to two, two leaded to three, three leaded to twelve a day, twelve leaded to more and more.  
It became more and more addicting.  
The money ran out, it became harder to get, smoking became excruciating.  
I couldn’t stop.  
But then again, I wouldn’t have gotten to know you, would I?  
“Nozumi.”

“Hm?”  
I turned and looked at the caller of my name.   
“I’m out.”

“Oh. I can go get more.”

“It’s alright. I was just telling you before you asked for more.”

“Ah.”  
I turned away, dropped my cigarette on the ground and squashed it into the ground.   
Only being good for a few minutes, then the user would step all over them, leaving them on the ground, their purpose coming to an end.  
Reminded me of myself.  
I turned to the taller boy who had his last cigarette in his mouth.  
He looked at me, confused.  
“What is it Nozumi?”

“I’m gonna head out.”

“Alright, don’t get hurt.”

“Like hell I will.”  
We both laughed.  
I waved to the taller boy and started walking away. Before I could, however, the taller boy grabbed my shoulder, pulling me back towards him.  
I could feel a smirk spreading across his face, his hands gripping my shoulders and his lips moved toward my ears.  
“You know my ears are hella sensitive.”

“Yeah I know, but you didn’t even say bye to me!”  
I laughed.  
“Okay Okay, Bye Akari.”

“Bye Nozumi.”  
I smiled and Akari smiled back, this time, I was allowed to walk away.  
Me and Akari only hanged out for one reason and at one place.  
To smoke behind the school.  
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that me and Akari didn’t know anything about each other.  
The only thing we knew was that we both were addicted to smoking, I got bullied and beaten up plenty of time, and Akari was the popular pretty boy nobody would think to smoke.

Akari was totally different than me.  
It was hard for me to believe that we were friends, even if we only talked behind the school while we smoked.  
I walked the halls of the school, avoiding the numerous bullies that wondered the halls.  
I walked to my locker, opened it up, and patched up my bruises and cuts from my previous bullying.  
I could still hear Akari’s voice when he told me that I should be more careful and asked if I needed any help patching up.  
“At least someone cares...”  
I murmured as I locked my locker and turned around.  
“Patching up already, Nozumika?”  
My eyes widened as a group of boys stood in front of me, blocking my possible exits.  
Nozumika was a nickname given to me by one of the poor souls aka bullies because I’m so fragile.  
Fragile like a girl.  
Now you’re probably thinking, if you’re fragile your lungs will be fragile too so you shouldn’t smoke!  
Guess what. I don’t give a crap.  
“Got a problem with that?”  
This was a new group of boys, and I quickly recognized them as the popular ‘angelic’ group.  
Chiyoko, Emiko, Fukumi, and..  
Behind Emiko, who was standing in front of me, I could see a familiar hair style.  
A family.. person.  
They were tall, blonde hair and fare skin.  
“Akari..?”

“Hey Akari, the fragile girl knows your name!”

“Oh does he now?”  
My eyes widened even more as I saw Akari pushed Emiko out of the way and stand in front of me.  
He smirked, but this time, his smirk was terrifying, it sent shivers down my spine, it made me feel... hated.  
“Akari what are you doing?”  
Akari took his long arms and pinned me to the locker, just how he did when I first met him behind the school, except this time, it was forceful.  
It was bullying.  
“Stop acting like you know me Nozumika.”  
Akari never called me Nozumika..  
Silent tears rolled down my cheeks.  
For a slight second, I could see regret and surprise in Akari’s eyes.  
I thought someone cared about me, but I guess I was wrong.  
Akari shook his head and the beating up began.  
The three other boys watched as Akari beat me up, throwing me against the locker, letting me fall on the floor and kicked me continuously.  
“A-Akari s-Stop..”  
I stuttered as I coughed up a red liquid I was used to seeing.  
“Shut up!”  
Akari yelled as he kicked me in the mouth.

 

I laid there, all four of them leaving.  
I forced myself to get up, everything aching as if I had been crushed by a boulder.  
I limped my way to the back of the building, the bell ringing in my ears.  
I ignored it.  
I had to take a chance to see if Akari was there. I wanted an explanation. I needed to hear that he was forced to. I didn’t want to believe he did that willingly.  
“Nozumi..”  
Akari said as I slowly reached the back of the school. I looked at him, sadness and confusion present in my eyes.  
“Why did you do that Akari..?”

“I’m sorry Nozumi.. I was forced, I didn’t have a choice..”  
I sighed in relief as I fell next to Akari, who caught me in his arms.  
I laid in his lap as the familiar red liquid continued to pour out of me, sleepiness taking over my body.  
My hair had been stroked by my forgiven friend as I was held on his lap.  
“Akari..”

“Yeah?”

“Never do that again.. Promise?”

“I promise.”  
He smiled softly.  
“I promise my next pack of cigarettes.”  
Akari smirked softly. This time, it was soft, giving off a familiar and safe-feeling aura.

We both knew a pack of cigarettes was a big deal.

 

The next day, I had a black eye, and my jaw was extremely sour from when Akari was forced to kick me in the mouth.  
I got dressed, wrapping bandages around my arms and putting on a black shirt with camo-green pants.  
I continued to patch myself up, excitement flooding into me when I thought about seeing Akari again.  
I had bought a new pack of cigarettes to share with him, and I was excited about it.  
I walked out of the door, toast in my mouth, skateboard in hand, and locked the door.  
I started skating down the sidewalk towards the school, running around the back excitedly.  
I wish I hadn’t.  
“Hey Nozumika.”  
...How could they know? Only Akari knows that I hang out back here..  
“Turns out you were right for once Akari. The fragile girl really does hang out here.”

“I’m always right Fukumi.”  
My eyes widened once again.  
He promised..  
Akari promised me he wouldn’t do it again. Akari doesn’t take crap from anyone, Why is he letting these bastards control him?  
“You promised Akari..”  
I muttered.  
“I never promised such a thing Nozumika. You must have me confused with some other good looking boy.”  
Akari smirked.  
I didn’t even know if this was Akari.  
This can’t be Akari.  
The bullying began again, the same way it was yesterday.  
Being thrown against the wall, being let fall to the ground, kicked and kicked and once I would say something, Akari kicked me in the mouth.  
“Why won’t you just shut up?!”

After they were finished, they left me there. I stood up slowly, pain overtaking my body with every breath.  
I held up my cigarette pack and eyed it carefully.  
“You promised Akari.”

“I know I’m sorry Nozumi please forgive me..”  
I didn’t say anything after my statement was answered. I didn’t think he would still be here.   
I put my cigarette packet away in my pocket, picked up my now broken in half skateboard, and started walking to class.  
“Nozumi Wait please!”  
Akari said pleadingly.  
I looked at him, and when I did, I was extremely surprised. Slow tears were falling down Akari’s face as he ran towards me, devouring me in a hug.  
“You’re hurting me..”

“S-Sorry..!”  
Akari let go of me quickly, avoiding me gaze.  
“I’m really sorry Nozumi I know I promised it just..”

“.....I forgive you Akari.”

“You do..?”  
Akari sniffed.  
I smiled with the last bit of energy I had and nodded slightly. Akari was my only friend, I had to forgive him. Or I would be alone. And I hate that more than anything.  
“Thank You Nozumi..”

“Whatever. You owe me a pack of cigarettes though Akari.”  
We both laughed. It felt nice to laugh with Akari again.  
“Alright alright.”  
He smiled.  
We parted ways and headed to class.  
That’s right..  
It all starts with a Cigarette.


	2. Chapter Two : A Confusing Friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AND MORE BULLYING, IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS PLEASE D O N O T READ THIS CHAPTER

I blew the gray, addicting smoke into the blue, pure sky and sighed.  
“Something wrong Nozumi?”

“Hm? No.. Nothing.”

“Are you sure?”  
I nodded.  
After the bullying incident a week ago, Akari has started showing more concern for me, which was odd.  
I hadn’t gotten bullied recently, and Akari wasn’t forced to bully me.  
I was... happy. I secretly hoped it would stay this way, but I knew it wouldn’t. Good things don’t seem to happen to me.  
“Nozumi.”

“Hm?”  
I looked at Akari who gave me a sweet smile. I smiled back at him, and in return my only friend took his right hand and placed it on my head, petting my hair softly. I squinted my eyes as my ears turned a bright red.  
“Your hair is so soft.”

“O-Oh. Thanks..?”  
Akari chuckled, resting his hand on my head as we smoked.  
This... this is how I wanted things to be.  
But how long would it stay?

 

The bell rang, making the pair of us smile in farewell and walk in opposite directions.  
For some reason, as I was walking away, I felt sadness overcome me.

I quickly ran back to Akari, and devoured him in a tight hug.  
“W-What are you doing?!”  
I smiled happily and let go of him slowly.  
“I’m giving you a goodbye hug.”  
My smile faded as Akari looked away and glared at the ground.  
“W-Well, we’re going to be late so we should get going..”

“I was trying to go but you have to go and give me a ‘goodbye hug’!”  
I flinched as anger revealed itself in Akari’s eyes.  
I stepped back, not sure on what the suddenly aggressive teenager would do.  
“Why don’t you just shut up?! I wish you could just shut up!”  
I could feel cold tears running down my face, not sure why they were, but continued to wipe them.  
They would not stop.  
“The only reason I hang out with you is because I can get free cigarettes and I feel pity for you!”

“Stop!”  
I cried.  
Akari hit his hand against the hall extremely hard. So hard, red liquid started oozing out of it.  
“Just shut up! Get out of my sight!”  
I quickly obeyed my no-longer-Friend and quickly ran into the school building, freezing tears rolling down my face.  
I ended up tripping many times while running down the hallway, people laughing every time I did.  
Running as fast as I could, I darted into the bathroom, hid in one of the stalls until I would stop crying.  
“I wish he never pitied me! Then I would never feel this way!”  
I forced out of my screaming mouth.   
I didn’t calm until a few hours later, opening the stall door slowly, my eyes as red as the familiar red liquid I saw frequently.  
I walked out of the bathroom, energy drained out of me like a used up battery.  
“There’s no point in going to classes now.. Nobody cares about my attendance anymore anyways.”  
I muttered.  
Akari cared when he noticed that I skipped some of my classes..  
Or did he?  
Was he a lying back-stabbing friend this whole time? Or was he forced to leave me?  
He must’ve been forced.. he had to been.  
I didn’t.. I couldn’t accept it.  
“I have to see... see if he’s there.”  
I felt like dying, I felt like passing out and never waking up.  
I wanted to know Akari, I wanted to be beside him always.  
I... I like Akari. And I don’t want to give up, even if he hates me.  
I won’t give up.  
“Akari...?”  
I turned the corner to the back of the building to see no human being there.  
I looked at the ground to see a pack of cigarettes, with a carefully taped note attached to it.  
“What...?”  
I muttered to myself as I picked the packet up and read the note thoughtfully.

Nozumi.  
I owed you a pack of cigarettes right?  
Well here you go.  
Now we have no reason to see each other.  
-Akari

I threw the pack of cigarettes at the ground madly, stepping on it and crushing it into the ground.  
“Why?!”

“Isn’t it obvious Nozumika? He was toying with you. He felt pity for you.”  
I familiar voice echoed.  
I turned, lonely tears rolling down my face as Emiko, Chiyoko, and Fukumi walked up to me.  
They all smirked ghastly smirks and soon the beating began. I didn’t struggle this time. Nor did I scream out anything.  
I let them beat me up, I let them bully me. Nobody cared anymore.  
The only two happy things that I ever had were smoking and Akari.  
Without those two things.. the world didn’t seem the same.  
The only thing I thought while kicks, shoves, and punches happened was...  
Akari does hate me.. doesn’t he?

 

I didn’t go to school for the next two weeks. I’m sure nobody noticed I wasn’t there anyways.  
I expected a letter from the school to tell me I was expelled any day now, and I barely ate anything.  
I didn’t have an appetite.  
“Would anyone care if I just died in a ditch somewhere..?”  
Was something I said daily.  
Depression became more and more present in my heart, taking hold of me and squeezing every last bit of hope out of me until I didn’t want to live anymore.  
“Akari hates me! I don’t want to do this anymore if he hates me! I can’t!”  
I cut down the rope to a barren, lonely swing in my dead backyard.  
I took it, ran to the back of the school and hung it up on the single tree that stood there. This was the only place I had known happiness, and this is where I wanted to die.   
I climbed the tree, taking the itchy rope and lacing my neck with it.  
It was suffocating, but I didn’t struggle.  
I let it take over myself, stealing the oxygen from my begging body.  
“NOZUMI NO!!!”  
I passed out before I could see the being who called my name, and I was glad I didn’t. I wanted to die before the being could save me. The voice was familiar.  
I hated that I had to hear this voice before I died. But I didn’t.


	3. Chapter Three : It Ended with a Cigarette

“When will he wake up? It’s been three days.”

“He should wake up soon, do not worry. If you had found him any later, it would’ve been too late, you were lucky.”  
I twitched as I heard voices speak, supposedly close to me.  
I opened one of my eyes slowly as I heard a door open, and then close.  
I sniffed, the room smelled like hand sanitizer.  
“Hospital..?”  
I whispered as I sat up, opening my eyes completely. I was dressed in a hospital gown, and I suddenly got a sharp pain in my neck.  
“That’s right..”  
I almost completely forgot about my attempted suicide. Who saved me?  
I jolted slightly as the creak of the door drew my attention to the entrance of my hospital room.  
“Akari..? Why..?”  
I looked at the surprisingly sleep-deprived boy who’s blonde hair was completely messed up, and his growling stomach betrayed how hungry he was.  
Another thing I noticed, was that his eyes were not only red from sleepless night, but they were also reddish from.. crying..  
“Nozumi!?”  
Akari yelled in surprise as he saw me, awake. Tears started streaming down his cold cheeks as he bolted towards me, wrapping his arms around me tightly, sitting on my lap, never letting me go.  
“Nozumi, Nozumi, Nozumi! I’m so sorry Nozumi, I’m sorry! Please! Never scare me like that again!”  
I didn’t smile or hug him back, I just looked at him, blankly.  
“Will you let me go already?”  
I felt Akari jump in surprise at my coldness, his eyes widening.  
“S-Sorry...”

“What are you doing here? Were you the one who saved me?”

“Of course I saved you! Did you expect me to leave my best friend and cru—“  
Akari quickly shut his mouth, looking away, his gaze dark.  
“What were you saying Akari?”

“Nothing.”  
Akari started to leave, getting off of my lap and grabbing his jacket which was hanging on the railing of my bed.  
I didn’t stop him until I heard him sniffle and saw him wipe his eyes.  
“A-Akari..”  
I whimpered as tears started rolling down my cheeks. I couldn’t hold it in anymore, I wanted to cry, I wanted to cry so much.  
Did Akari care about me? What was he about to call me before he cut himself off?  
Akari turned back to me, noticing my tears and quickly running over to wipe them.  
“Yes Nozumi?”

“W-Why didn’t you let me die..?”

“I would never let you die Nozumi! You mean too much to me.”

“W-What..?”  
Akari’s eyes widen and he quickly covered his mouth and looked away, his gaze dark.  
I sniffled as my eyes stopped watering, grabbed the blonde’s hand and looked at him.  
“Akari.. I like you.”

“W-What..?!”  
I looked away, afraid what would happen if I made eye contact with my newfound friend.  
“I-I said I like you.. That’s why I was so sad when you started bullying me with the other idiots..”  
I looked up at Akari, who’s silent tears were falling down his cheeks.  
I pulled his hand towards me, and as his wet face came closer, I wiped his tears.  
Should I..? Could I..?  
I shook my head slightly and hovered my lips above Akari’s forehead.  
“It’s okay Akari. I’m not mad at you anymore.”  
My lips grazed his forehead, and in response, the bold blonde pulled my face up and kissed my lips quickly.  
He touched my face softly, neither of us pulling away.  
Akari moved his lips away slowly, keeping his face close to mine.  
“Nozumi I’m so sorry.. I love you so much Nozumi.”  
My eyes widened as Akari moved my black, messy hair away from my eyes and pressed his forehead against mine.  
“I’ve seen you, smoking out back behind the school before we started smoking together. At first, it was because I felt bad about you being alone, but as I got to know you, I felt about you more than a friend.”  
I looked at him, blush spreading across my pale face.  
“W-What?”  
Akari ignored my question and continued his confession.  
“But I didn’t know how to feel or think about being with a boy. I didn’t want you or me to get bullied about being together, so I decided... I decided that idiotic path of.. bullying you. But.. I still wanted to hang out with you. I couldn’t stay away, so I came crawling back, begging for forgiveness. I meant it.”  
He paused, looking into my eyes with his watery, icy blue ones.  
“I never thought... I would be the reason you would want to.. t-to die..”

“A-Akari.. I-I thought you hated me, I couldn’t.. I didn’t want to be alone again..”

“I forgive you Nozumi. Never, never! Do that again!”  
I nodded, tears of joys falling down my rosy cheeks and a sad smile spreading across my face.  
“I promise Akari.”

“Good. I promise I’ll never be afraid to admit to my feelings for you again..”  
His last sentence stood out to me.  
His feelings for me?  
Akari chuckled as he noticed my confusion. He kissed my chin, clearly not being able to hold back much longer.  
Looking at me softly, Akari smiled a sweet smile, running his fingers through my hair.  
“You’re the only one I’ve ever had feelings for Nozumi. Do you trust me on that?”

“S-Sure..!”  
I blushed.  
Akari kissed me, this time, it was a passionate and waiting kiss.  
“I love you Nozumi. I will never leave your side or betray you again.”  
I paused and smiled happily, Joy flowing through my veins.  
“I love you too Akari.”

 

After that, me and Akari were always together.  
But our fondest moments together was when we were concealed behind the school, smoking our hearts away.  
That’s right..  
It Ended with a Cigarette.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is end for It Started with a Cigarette! Let me know what you think of the story, comment if you have any questions!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! ^^ Let me know what you think about this story, if you have any questions let me know in the comments!  
> (Yes, this is CatBeth13 from WattPad)


End file.
